The Problem with Salt Water
by SparkleQueen21
Summary: Two life long friends find themselves immersed in a world infested with crazed pirates and no way to get back home. How do you survive a culture shock as big as finding yourself stuck in a reality you thought wasn't real? Eventual romance/slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Alright, so this is my first One Piece fanfiction and mainly for my sister. I own nothing ecxept for the ocs, and hope you all will enjoy reading this as much as I did writing this!**_

Enjoy!

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The insistent scratching pulled my mind from the world of flowers and clouds I had been enjoying. Briefly yawning, I brought a hand up to rub at my eyes. Everything was still dark, so it was safe to assume it was either night or very early in the morning.

Throwing back the covers, I quickly hopped to my feet and walked to the closed door, If I ignored the pleas to come in, no doubt the other side of the wood would be shredded without remorse.

Turning the knob, I cracked open the door wide enough for my cat to waltz in. He could be such a pain, but served his purpose as an alarm clock. It was routine at this point for him to always want to come in my room quarter to 6, everyday. No matter what. Despite the fact that it was a saturday and I didn't have to be up until 9, I didn't crawl back under the covers like my body wanted.

Instead, I flicked on the lights, and hurriedly shielded my eyes from the brightness. It took a moment for them to adjust, but now I could actually tell where everything was, so that was a bonus.

Throwing my pillows on the ground, I pulled the soft purple and white blankets back, making the bed before my cat decided to plop himself down and nap. It wasn't hard or anything, not really having that much space to myself in the first place. The bed took up almost the whole room, leaving little space for a walkway on either side. Which was fine with me, since that left less room for a possible mess.

Going through the assortment of clothes I owned could wait until after my shower, so I shut off the light and went to get personal hygiene out of the way. I partially liked waking up this early for the feeling of enjoying the day fully, but also for getting time to myself, which would otherwise never happen.

The floor creaked slightly under my weight, and I duly noted that it was the same spot as before. Another thing to fix.

I didn't exactly live in the most desirable of places. We'd been in the same single, dingy trailer for the majority of my childhood. Mold was growing on the walls, and the windows had never been sealed right, but it was ours. Too many family pictures and wall decorations covered up the fact that the trailer had never been insulated, and winters were brutal on us.

But home was home, and it wasn't as if we were living in it by choice. My dad had always wanted to build, but money never seemed to be available, especially since my mom walked out.

Quietly turning on the water, I played with the temperature for a brief moment. The hot water tank would only last for 10 minutes, so I would have to be quick. My body fell into the repetitive routine, and I allowed my mind to wander.

While my father had been born in the United States, he was full blooded Japanese. He had met my mother, a woman with Native American Indian and English blood, and incidentally had me, the mudblood. My parents weren't married, and hadn't even been introduced to the others parents at the time, so to say it was stressful was an understatement. Dad found work in Tokyo, and took his pregnant girlfriend with him for the ride.

I was born in my paternal cousin's apartment, delivered by my aunt. Growing up in Japan was the happiest time of my life, constantly surrounded by my elder cousins, which I viewed as my siblings. We all shared a fullsize bed, while the adults got the other rooms.

When I was 3, my mother revealed she was pregnant again, but wanted this child to be born back in her home. I don't really remember much from then, only that one minute mom was there, and the next she was gone.

I stayed with my cousins until my sixth birthday, then me and my father left for the United States, where we had been ever since.

Finishing up in the shower, I quickly shut off the water and dried off, careful not to drip onto the floor. The last thing we needed was for the wood to rot out beneath the bath. Hurrying back to the privacy of my own room, I was once again glad that it was extremely early in the morning.

Making sure the door was firmly locked, I then set out to find something decent to wear. It was supposed to get fairly warm today, with no chances of showers or killer wind. Opening the drawer, I flicked through a few articles of clothes before settling on a white romper with teal stitching along the edges.

After I had been dressed properly, I towel dried my hair and set to brushing the wet strands. Moving in front of the decent sized mirror I kept on the back of my door, I looked at my reflection for the first time today. Dark brown hair with copper tones curled around my face, already forming into soft waves in the back. My eyes, while almond shaped, were a faded blue, contrasting with the darkness of my hair. I was pale, but definitely inherited that tan tone my father had. My nose was rather small, and lips were puffy with a less defined cupid's bow. I had definitely taken after my mother in that regard.

Quickly pulling my hair back into a french braid, I deemed everything set before walking back out to the kitchen, intent on making breakfast before my dad left for work. I knew that if I didn't he'd either go without or grab a poptart, which were terrible for a man with high blood pressure.

Breakfast was nothing fancy, just eggs and toast, with a bit of warmed up rice on the side. By the time my dad came out into the kitchen, the only thing I was waiting on was the tea.

"Ohayō tou-san."

"Ohayō, ma-chan."

He sat down at the table just as I brought a plate over for him. I made sure he had the blue chopsticks, as he could get anal about using the 'wrong' ones. He was such a child sometimes.

"Smells good sweetheart, you make the green or calamine tea?"

"Green. I think it goes better with breakfast than calamine would."

"Ah. Well, you never know."

Setting my own plate, I poured the tea and sat in my own chair, saying a simple 'itadakimasu' before digging into the meal. Despite not seeing my dad for much of the day, we tried to share one meal together, even if it was just a quick one. Dad always was a fast eater, shoveling the rice into his mouth

"Arigato, ma-chan. It was delicious."

"Iiyo. It was no problem, Tou-san. Are you finished?"

Instead of verbally responding, dad just nodded his head and we both stood from the table simultaneously. It was habit to grab all the dirtied dishes and set them in the sink. I would wash them later, after my brother had woken up and grabbed something to eat. That way I wouldn't be doing them twice in the morning. Dad went over to the genkan, slipping on his work boots and making sure he had all his paperwork for the day.

"Itte kimasu, ma-chan!"

"Itte rashai, Tou-san."

With that, he left, and the house was surrounded in silence once more. We needed a dog or something, just so the house wouldn't sound so quiet. It was odd, but the silence was near deafening. The chiming of my cell phone was a welcome change, and brought my attention to the blue device instantly. Picking it up off of the charger, a little message icon was glowing. Quickly unlocking the device, I tapped on the notification.

'Locked in my room again, asshole won't let me out :('

It was from my longtime best friend, Bri. We had known each other ever since i'd gotten back from Japan. Our parents had gone to school together, and the two of us just kinda...clicked. I viewed her as my sister, my other half. We were at the point where I knew exactly what she was thinking and even said things before she could get them out of her mouth.

'Again? Didn't he lock you away last week?'

'Yeah. I think he gets some sick pleasure from having absolute control over my life. What an asswipe'

Checking the clock on the wall, it read quarter to seven. Her dad would most likely leave for work within the next half hour, and her mom wouldn't be awake for another few hours. Nodding to myself, I quickly clicked along the screen.

'Sick pleasure or not, he's an ass. Get dressed, i'm busting you out'

Clicking the power button, I didn't bother checking the notifications again, knowing it would be Bri commenting on how my Asian blood made me a natural ninja. Honestly, at this point I knew exactly what her responses would be. Heading back to my room, I briefly gazed at the blue and green walls, more focused on retrieving the small brown purse hanging up on the dresser.

No doubt, Bri would be in a pissy mood after her dad's stunt this morning. Muffins and coffee always helped improve her mood, and there was a coffee shop not too far from the apartment complex Bri lived in.

Grabbing my car keys, I made sure my phone and wallet were tucked away safely in my purse before heading to the genkan, pulling on a pair of small wedged ankle boots. They were comfortable, yet went perfectly with the romper.

"Itte kimasu."

Locking the door behind me, I headed out to my silver, glistening Grand Prix. It was my dad's originally, but he'd given it to me when he'd got his new truck. Which was fine by me, since i'd been in love with the car since day one.

Unlocking the door, I set my purse in the passenger's seat before starting up the engine, listening to the purr for a moment before shifting in reverse and backing up, careful not to accidently hit the basketball in the middle of the driveway. Bri didn't live too far away, but if she wanted a quick getaway, then the car was the safer bet.

The drive was quick and painless, not 5 minutes later pulling into the large parking lot in front of the apartment complex. Parking in the middle of the lot, I locked the doors quick before walking around the old brick building. Normally, I would just waltz right up to her front door and let myself in, but since her father had locked her in her room again, the window was the safer bet.

Finding the tell tale blue curtains wasn't a problem, and I crouched down and rapped my knuckles on the glass in one quick, fluid movement. A few seconds later, the curtains flew back and window opened, revealing my other half.

"Did someone order a getaway driver?"

A big, gleaming grin spread across her pale face, and shimmering blue eyes filled with mirth I hadn't seen in awhile. Despite having different ethnic backgrounds, we looked pretty similar. Bri had dark brown hair with a slight wave, falling down to her shoulder blades. It had been dyed black for the longest time, but she had suddenly decided that it wasn't for her anymore.

She had on a light blue tank top, with a sheer flannel shirt tied over it. For pants, I saw her favorite pair of denim shorts, They were worn and faded, but fit her well and were apparently 'fucking comfortable'. I couldn't see her shoes, but I assumed they were the bright blue pair of sandals she always paired with her shorts. Squatting down, I extended my hand out to grip hers.

"My hero."

"Yeah, yeah. You ready to hightail it out of here?"

"Fuck yes. Get me out of this shithole."

Linking her hand with mine, I pulled her body up and out the window, easily lifting her several feet up. I saw the small bag strapped on her back, and briefly wondered if she planned on keeping away from this place for a while. She slid the window shut behind her, before grabbing my hand and leading me back out to the parking lot.

"God, he's such an ass. I forgot to put the dishes away and suddenly i'm locked in my room for an undetermined amount of time."

I nodded my head in agreement, pulling my keys out of my pocket and hitting the unlock button for the car.

"It was a dick move, but now you get to spend the day with me. Small miracles."

She huffed out a breath, most likely bitching about how her dad was still a dick in her mind. The car doors opened without protest and we slipped inside of the smooth, leather interior. I started the engine once more and we pulled out of the parking lot seamlessly.

"God, you have no idea how good it feels to get out of that shithole. Especially since my mom has been a bitch lately. I think she might be pregnant."

I snorted at the thought. If her mom was pregnant, 16 years was a pretty big age gap.

"Well, i'm glad I don't have to constantly worry about having another sibling. I don't know if I could deal with the constant screaming and crying."

She said a soft amen, rolling down her window and sticking her head out the window. It was noticeably getting warmer out, and soon it would be unbearable. Might as well enjoy it while it was nice out.

"Hey, do you mind if we go to the Cave? I'm not in a people mood right now."

"Yeah, no problem. We haven't been there in awhile anyway."

Pulling off the main road, I traced out a clear route in my mind. The Cave, as we so lovingly dubbed it, was a small alcove out by the lake. We found it a few years back while exploring, and had kind of taken it in as a personal getaway from all the assholes in our lives.

The beach wasn't too far away, and I pulled off the side of the road and parked the car, grabbing my purse and clapping my sister on the shoulder, grinning at her.

The walk to the Cave was rather fun, climbing on large rocks and picking up stones we found pretty. The Cave itself wasn't too far away, and I sighed in relief once we reached it. Small waves crashed against the moss covered rocks, and I payed half a mind not to slip and fall on my ass. No need to give that asshole something to laugh about.

"Wow, looks a lot darker in here than I remember. Doesn't it look different to you, Emma?"

"We had a flashlight last time, if that's what you're talking about."

"Fuck you, you know what I meant."

We walked further into the cave, and I began noticing little things that seemed off about the place. For one, the walls had long, deep scratch marks in them that had definitely not been there before. Moss and sludge from the water had come up further along the walls and floor, coating everything in an extremely slippery substance.

A bright light in the distance caught my eyes, and I had a hard time remembering if there had ever been another exit to the cave besides the entrance.

"Hey Bri, do you see that-"

The sudden rushing sound of water filled my ears, and looking behind I saw a massive wave enclosing the entrance to the cave, and flooding more so. I shared a look with Bri, before we both started running away. If there was another exit, then maybe we wouldn't drown to death.

A shrill scream sounded behind me, and before I could shout out for Bri, my foot slid on the moss, and I fell forward. The water was quick to swoop me away, and the air left my lungs harshly, knocking me around until my head harshly smacked against the the cave wall and I knew no more.

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 **So, how was it? This is just an introduction chapter, so you can get a feel of the characters. The next chapter should move a bit faster.**

 **Now I have a question for all you lovely readers out there;**

 **Who's your favorite One Piece Character?**

 _Reviews are Love~_

 _SparkleQueen21_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: As always, One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

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There was a sudden jolt that coursed throughout my body, sending a sharp, tingling sensation down my limbs. It burned with a vengeance, and the harsh light made everything blur together in one big, disorientating mess.

Pulling my hands up over my eyes, I did my best to ignore the stinging along my forearm, too preoccupied with the need to see. Maybe then I could figure out where I was and what had happened.

"Careful, you're going to pull the stitches."

That voice, so deep and sudden, scared the living hell out of me. Needless to say, I flew backwards away from the voice and tried to shield myself, which I knew was pathetic. Damnit, I _needed_ to see. What the fuck was going on?

The light became tolerable, and shapes started becoming familiar. Glancing around briefly, I saw the bright blue of the sky, not a single cloud to be seen. The sun was high in the sky, and I wondered idly what time it was and how long I had been out. Dark wood was underneath and to either sides of me, and the vastness of water surrounded everything. I must've been on a boat or something.

"What did I just say about your arm…"

That voice surprised me again, and my eyes snapped to an omniscient figure sitting across from me. He was dressed in an off white shirt, with black pants and boots to match. Around his waist, he had on a green haramaki, if I remembered correctly. That was strange. People didn't usually wear that sort of thing in America, making me even more curious as to where exactly I was and what had happened. His skin was lightly tanned, and looked very well toned. He had bright green hair that was cropped short. If this had been any other situation, I knew I would be blushing so hard my face would look like a tomato.

Finally taking notice of my arm, I saw that both had been bandaged up profusely, but my left arm had begun to seep with red. Blood…?

"W-what...what happened?"

He didn't respond, but did crack open an eye to give me a cautious look. Now that I thought about it, between the haramaki, and the odd location, it was possible he didn't speak any english. Luckily for me, I was bilingual. Trying my other tongue couldn't hurt, so my brain automatically switched into Japanese.

"What happened?"

He looked at me for a minute, and even though I knew it wasn't that long, it felt like forever. It didn't help any that he had those dark eyes that seemed to be starring in my soul.

"I'm not sure… You were just floating in the water, all beat up and bleeding. I thought you were dead. Do you remember anything?"

Floating in the water? Why would I be near the water? The short trip to the Cave with a girl crossed my mind, and I had a feeling it had something to do with that. I didn't recognize the girl, but something told me she was close to me.

"I was in a cove, looking for something...I remember flooding and trying to get away from the water...then nothing."

His eyes minutely widened. I probably wouldn't have caught it if we hadn't been making eye contact the whole time. There was just something about him that was familiar, yet I couldn't place it. Before he could say anything, my brain-to-mouth filter stopped working and I blurted out the thing on my mind.

"Have we met before? You look awfully familiar."

His eyes widened briefly, before turning away, gazing at the water. "It's possible. I've been to quite a few places; we may've met before."

I nodded hesitantly. It was possible i'd seen him somewhere else before. Although, for the life of me I couldn't think of _where_ I would see him. Had it been out on the water? I tried to think of other locations, like areas I would frequent, but I kept coming up blank. Where had I gone in my spare time? Where had I lived? Did I have a home? Nothing was coming to mind, and I couldn't help but wonder if there even _was_ anything to remember.

"Do you have a name I can call you?"

I went to respond, but suddenly went still. What...what was my name? The green haired man must've noticed my hesitation, because his eyes suddenly opened and stared at me with an expression that could've been concern. But...what was my name? I tried thinking about what I had been called my whole life...nothing but a whisper of a familiar sound.

A deep baritone echoed in my ears, a sound reminiscent of a far off memory. Mmm...

"I...I don't remember. The only thing coming to mind is 'Ma'..."

I felt awful. Did I have a name to remember? Who knew, obviously not me. The man had a contemplative look on his face for a brief moment.

"Just Ma? Was it short for anything?"

"I-I can't say…"

I felt awful, and he must've noticed my solemn expression because he suddenly waved his hands in a rapid motion.

"No problem, we'll just come up with a longer name. Obviously we'll keep Ma, but we need something after...how about Nami, since I found you on the water?"

I nodded my head. It didn't really matter to me anyway, I couldn't remember what my actual name was. I suppose I would just adopt this new name as my own.

"Manami… I like it. Thank you…?"

"Zoro. Roronoa Zoro. I'm a Pirate Hunter."

Pirate Hunter? There was something tingling in the back of my mind at that, but I chalked it up to probably having met a Pirate Hunter before and just forgetting such a thing. He seemed nice enough, and I hoped he could help me figure out what had happened to me.

"Right, thank you Zoro. I am in your debt."

He waved it off, shrugging slightly before turning and closing his eyes again.

"Don't worry about it. It was practically nothing. We can call it even if you wake me when we arrive at the next town."

"Ah…"

We settled into silence after that. I was silently grateful for the lapse in conversation, as it had been not only somewhat awkward, but it was depressing not being able to answer even the simplest of questions. Now I could reflect on the few things I had retained in my memory.

That girl was definitely someone that I was close to, as even just the memory of her made me smile and feel like she was someone I had trusted with my life. Who she was, I couldn't be sure, but she just felt close to me. 'Ma' was definitely another important clue. It was something I had faintly remembered being called, but my mind ended there. Most likely it was short for something else, or just a pet name having nothing to do with my actual name. Hopefully, it would come back to me soon.

The fact that I also knew at least two other languages also spoke volumes. Zoro apparently only knew Japanese, and I could recall English and French as easily as Japanese. Maybe I had traveled frequently? Or was a foreigner?

Now that I thought about it, I didn't know my name, age, birthdate, or where I was. For all I knew I could've been 35 with 3 kids at home and I would never know. I didn't think I was that old, but then again I didn't even know what I looked like.

Manami was a mystery to me.

Who knew a name would mean so much? It was thoughtful of Zoro to add on to the name, adding a personal touch to the half forgotten memory. Hopefully it would tie me down to reality; to remind me that there was someone before Manami, even if no one could remember her. That I had existed before, and people were probably looking for me.

I would not be forgotten.

Hopefully my memories would return shortly, as I currently had no idea how to live my life alone with no source of income. Again, as I wasn't sure of my age, I didn't even know if it was legal for me to work or not. Maybe luck would side with me and someone would recognize me soon and escort me to a family member. Wouldn't that be fortunate? Although, the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach suggested that it was an unlikely outcome. Nevertheless, I tried keeping my spirits up. I wasn't quite sure if I had been a pessimistic person before, but I decided I would try to be as optimistic and positive as I possibly could. I'm sure that if I stayed broody I would never be happy.

Gazing out into the vast water, I tried to spot a mass of land. Now that I think about it, Zoro had never really told me where we were heading. Were we just roaming until we stumbled upon an island? The boat didn't look that well equipped to be sailing long term, and as I couldn't even remember my own name, I doubted I would be able to remember a landmark.

What kind of fool didn't prepare a map or pack supplies prior to setting sail? I felt a sigh escape my lips as I realized this green haired man was the only person I knew and I would have to put my trust in him for now, even if it seemed foolish.

Leaning my back against the side of the boat, I decided I might as well get comfortable. Despite the gaping hole in my memory and the reluctant trust in Zoro, it would do little to constantly fret. Better get comfortable if my assumptions of a lengthy trip were correct.

My eyes slipped closed peacefully as I let the warm breeze wash over my skin. It was surprisingly relaxing, and I allowed myself to doze off.

* * *

(╹◡╹)凸

* * *

It was with startling difficulty that I found myself slowly opening my eyes. It was dark, almost pitch black out save for the glimmering of the moon and stars up above. I was surprisingly warm, curled up between something hard and warm. There was also a weight on my shoulders that felt oddly comforting, which was peculiar to say the least.

Incredibly comfortable, I tried to fall back asleep, unsure of what awoke me in the first place. Snuggling back into the warmth, I closed my eyes and felt unconsciousness quickly approaching my mind. But, before I completely fell into the comforting grasp of sleep, a tightening along my shoulder and upper arm. Accompanied by a small sigh, the warmth I was laying on briefly moved upward, but I didn't really focus on it enough to pull me back from the much needed sleep my body demanded of me.

Although, thoughts of that man who had fished me from the water crossed my mind almost innocently, nothing more than a trivial fact from the crazy day I had gone through…

...Wait…

By the time I had fully registered that yes, I wasn't alone on this crazy boat, and that no, there wasn't a blanket when I fell asleep to keep me warm, it felt like forever had passed once more. Opening my eyes, blurriness overcame what little sight i had. Blinking to stimulate my eyes a bit more, I noticed it was significantly brighter out than it had been the last time I awoke. It must've been the very beginning of dawn then. A frigid breeze blew over my body, and I shivered before attempting to bury myself in the warmth that was still by my side. However, what I didn't expect, was to be pulled in tight to the warmth.

Looking in front of me for the first time instead of my surroundings, white colored fabric graced my sight. It seemed like there was a furnace underneath it, and I was glad for the warmth. Looking up further, however, presented a completely new problem.

Such as the slumbering face of Zoro.

Anxiety seized my limbs. W-What the hell? He was on the complete other side of the boat when I had fallen asleep, how did he manage to get way over to me? He appeared to be oblivious to the sleeping arrangements that had conspired overnight, continuing to sleep away. He squeezed me tighter to him as another frigid breeze wafted over us. Just as I was about to try and pull myself out of his grasp, the boat lurched suddenly and harshly, sending both me and Zoro careening into the side.

Smacking my head on hard wood did not feel pleasant at all, but it appeared to wake Zoro up from his sleep. His arms unwound themselves from my upper-body, moving instead to rub the forming bump on his head. Sitting up myself to see just what had transcribed to cause a lurch that hard, white sand, lush green vegetation, and a cobblestone path took every thought I had. We...We had found an island?

"Ah, we're here. Thanks for waking me up, Manami."

I stared at him with a slightly loose jaw. His tone didn't sound sarcastic at all, just tired. Was he that dense?

Zoro stood from his spot, stretching and making grunting noises as he did so. It had been uncomfortable sleeping on the wooden planks like that, but there wasn't really any other option. I had probably ended up using Zoro as a pillow half way through the night anyway, which caused embarrassment to swell in the pit of my stomach. Even if it had been done subconsciously in search for warmth, I didn't feel comfortable about it. He _was_ a man I had just met less than 24 hours ago.

Pulling myself off from the floor, I heard a few audible cracks as my bones popped. Stretching felt really nice after a stiff bed like last night. As Zoro bent down to collect his items spewed all over the boat, a gleam of sunlight caught my attention. Looking to my companion, I saw three glistening sheaths now hanging from his side. Swords?

He must've caught me staring, because he suddenly stopped picking up the rucksack of what I assumed were articles of clothing. His dark green eyes gazed into mine, and I felt embarrassed all of a sudden to have been caught staring.

"Oi, ain't you seen a sword before?"

My lack of memory hit me like a train, and it appeared to have the same effect on Zoro. I diverted my stare and rubbed my arm unconsciously, turning my attention to the shore.

"I, Uh,... I'm gonna look around."

Climbing out of the boat was easy, and the sand posed little threat. For a moment, I wasn't on the shore of a strange island with an even stranger green haired man accompanying me, but instead running after a little girl, giggling as we did so. There were sandcastles everywhere, and the sand was heated after basking in the sunlight for so long, but we didn't mind, because it was very seldom we were down at the water-

Then the pained grunt behind me broke away whatever trance I had fallen into. Almost instantly I had forgotten what it was that had me so distracted, and turned back to Zoro. It appeared he had tripped over the ledge of the boat as a strong wave moved it slightly. Walking back towards him, I extended my hand politely, to which he accepted. Pulling him up was hard, he weighed a ton, but luckily it seemed as though he was pushing himself off the sand simultaneously.

He made an obvious display of not looking at me, and going off of the light blush on his face, I'm guessing he was embarrassed at having tripped. Feeling sympathetic, I changed the conversation.

"...Your katana are pretty cool. Very elegant as well."

He caught my intention, and gathered all his items, glancing down at the three swords at his hip.

"They are my most valuable possessions. More valuable than my life."

Nodding, I looked a bit closer at the sheaths. They were so beautiful, I couldn't help but stare in awe. The white one was particularly eye catching, and despite the urge to touch it, Zoro did just say he valued them more than his life.

"Do they have names?"

"Yeah. The Red one is Sandai Kitetsu, the black is Yubashiri, and the white one is Wado Ichimonji."

"Wado is a very beautiful sword. I don't blame you for having an attachment. But," At this, I lifted up my head, giving Zoro a very serious look. Even though we had just meant, he was currently the only person I knew. I got attached fast. "Nothing is more valuable than a life."

His eyes took on an emotion that I couldn't outright determine, but I hoped he wouldn't carelessly throw his life away or something equally stupid just because he didn't see his life as valuable. Something sat negatively in the pit of my stomach, cold and uncomfortable at the thought of Zoro dying and leaving me alone. Weird, considering we were strangers to one another. Either way, I didn't feel comfortable with the thought.

"Anyway, what brings us to this island?"

Zoro still had this expression on his face, kind of like he'd seen a ghost, but nonetheless answered the question.

"I, uh, have companions waiting here. Johnny and Yosaku. We'll grab something to eat after, introduce you to them and all."

"Sounds like a plan!"

Smiling brightly at him, I turned and started walking towards the cobblestone path. New people! This would be interesting...and who knows.

Maybe I would find _her._

* * *

(╹◡╹)凸

* * *

There was a definite pounding. Whether it was in her head or that noisy ass neighbor upstairs was debateable. Groaning, she reached up towards her head. Ow, okay, definitely not the neighbor. Where was the Advil when you needed it? Hesitantly, she tried opening her eyes, expecting harsh lights to burn the retina. What she wasn't expecting, however, was the soft glow of a lantern on the wall, the barest hints of sunlight peaking through a window. What?

"Okite iru?"

What the hell? That sounded… not english. Did she fall asleep with Crunchyroll on again? Then again, she didn't really remember going home and watching good old anime. Was she at Emma's house then? She knew for a fact that Emma's _Tou-san_ liked to speak his native tongue at home. And yeah, maybe he did it on purpose because she was never patient enough to properly learn the language past the insults Emma playfully called her.

"Yeah yeah, rub it in the English speakers face why don't you."

There was a noise of confusion, and she realized that Emma's dad had a much deeper voice than the one she was hearing right now, and her little brother was never into the whole bilingual thing. So then…?

Whipping her head to the side, she felt her eyes widen in shock. No freaking way…

"Daijōbudesuka?"

She knew that face, that voice, even that familiar suit. She had drawn it out a thousand times, had seen it for over 800 episodes, and even written about it as well.

Sanji Vinsmoke. Cook of the Strawhat Pirates.

Immediately, the questions were piling up in her head. Had she suffered brain damage and this was some sort of coma dream? Was she half asleep watching One Piece again? Was this some sort of hallucination? Cause it certainly didn't make any sense. She tried sitting up, only for her entire body to scream in protest. Just what the hell happened?

"Chōmitsuna. Sō shinakereba naranakatta anata o tasukeru kara dekishi."

She had no fathomable idea what he had just said to her. For all she knew, he could've told her he found the All Blue and needed a sacrifice, not that she thought he _would_ say that, but her point still stood. If only Emma was here…

And a whole new can of worms had been opened. Her asshole dad, Emma breaking her out of hell, and subsequently the flooding of their Cave. That explained the weird One Piece dream. She must've smacked her head and knocked herself out or something. Still, dream or not, she needed answers.

Shit, she _failed_ at Japanese.

She racked her brain for a word, a phrase she could use. Emma spoke the language so effortlessly, without pause almost all the time. Surely, her brain could pick out a phrase that sounded somewhat familiar.

"I...uh, watashi wa… uh, hirune,... uh, o hitsuyō to… shimasu?"

She butchered the phrase, that she could tell, but it sounded somewhat like a question. Honestly, she was somewhat proud of herself for even remembering it. Unfortunately, the blonde next to her cracked a smile, even though it was obvious he was trying to hide it.

"N-nani? Dakedo anata dake no me ga samemashita!"

He was clearly trying not to laugh at whatever she had said, if only for her sake, but she was still trying to figure out what exactly she had said to begin with. Clearly, Japanese was going to be impossible for communicating.

"Mademoiselle, honkidesu ka nemuritaidesu? Chōshoku wa chōri sa rete imasu."

It felt like a light bulb had appeared over her head. Of course! Sanji spoke French! Well, at least a few phrases. She wasn't completely sure if he was fluent, as he only spoke a few phrases, but at least she knew French better than Japanese.

"Parlez-vous Français?"

As it appeared, those hellish classes with the French teacher appeared to have somewhat stuck in her mind. Unfortunately, a sheepish look overcame the blonde's face, and he scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Ah, eto, r-rien qu'un peu…Furansugo wa muzukashīdesu."

Only a little bit? Shit, now what? Could she get her point across using phrases? She wasn't the best student at foreign languages, but 4 years of studying had to pay off for something.

"Oh, je vois… mais, peux-tu me dire ce qui est arrivé?"

Confusion was on his face faster than anything she'd seen yet. There went that idea. He really did only know a few phrases. Shit, that made this even more difficult. But, it was better than trying to speak English or completely butchering Japanese.

"Trop difficile? Pardon moi. Um… comment vous appelez-vous?"

Even though she already knew the answer, it would be weird if she started calling him Sanji when he'd given no indication of his name. The puzzled look remained however, and she felt her energy drain. What the hell was it in Japanese?

"Um… Name? Na?"

He nodded then muttered to himself too quickly for her to hear properly, not that she would've understood it anyway.

"Mochiron! Watashinonamaeha Sanjidesu! Dakedo anata wa ōji watashi o yobidasu koto ga dekimasu!"

… aaaaand not a single word was understood. Great. Well, she did hear Sanji in there, so good enough. She supposed.

"Onamaehanandesuka, Kireina josei?"

She swore there were hearts in his eyes. Excitement bubbled up in her despite the fact Sanji had a rather lewd expression on his face. She knew what that meant! And she was pretty sure she could answer this one.

Although…

If this was a dream, what was the harm in giving herself a better, more authentic name of her choosing? Plus, she knew how her own name sounded in Japanese, and didn't really want to be called that anymore. This was something crazy her brain conjured up anyway, so what was the harm?

"Watashinonamaeha Morikodesu!"

This time she was positive there were hearts in the blondes eye. Really? All she did was tell him her name. Then again, in the anime it seemed he got excited over every little thing a woman did. Patiently waiting for him to calm down from whatever he was spewing about.

Some weird dream indeed.

Her stomach gave a noisy grumble, and the blood in her face instantly flared up. Really? Right in front of Sanji?

"Dono yō ni watashi no hidoidesu! Watashi wa chōshoku o shutoku shimasu!"

With that, he practically bolted from the room, a determined look in his eyes. She hadn't a clue what he said, but could be pretty sure he would come back. At least she hoped so. In the meanwhile, maybe she could try and think about some key phrases. Why was japanese so damn hard to remember?

She wasn't sure how long she sat there and contemplated, internally blaming Emma for not having forced her to learn anything besides insults and the occasional phrase. And what the hell? She could've sworn Sanji knew how to speak French! Damn Oda for leading her to false conclusions!

Meanwhile, she really needed a way to be able to talk to Sanji. Apparently her dream didn't include perfect translations. How cruel! But, if she could wheedle lessons from the cook himself…

Her face flared up instantly. Oh, so it was one of _those_ dreams then.

Well, might as well enjoy it while it lasted. There was no telling how soon it would be before she woke up in the hospital with a concussion and a harsh reprimand. No doubt, her father would be pissed. Hell, she was sure her mom would be pissed. Emma might even be pissed, it was her idea after all. Groaning, she sank back into the pillows, praying the dream lasted for a long while. She wasn't exactly looking forward to when it ended and she had to face reality.

Anime was better than reality anyway.

* * *

 _ **A/N: And there we have it. For some reason, I had to edit a lot off of this one. It just seemed to drag on and on and on...**_

 _ **Answer:** I really like Chopper, he's the cutest! But honestly, I love them all. Its so hard to hate on the Strawhats. _

_**Question:If you could go to One Piece, would you? Why or why not?**_

 _Reviews are love~_

 _SparkleQueen21_


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